If your oysters came pre-shucked in a plastic container, store them in the freezer until you’re ready to use them. Leave the grit and dirt on the oysters. This will keep them moist and will help to insulate the meat.
Do not keep your oysters in a sealed or closed-top container. Doing so will suffocate them. You may need to change your ice during the refrigeration process, so do not pour any into the container if you won’t be able to check your oysters regularly.
If you’d prefer, you can cover the oysters with damp paper towels or newspaper instead. Oysters are salt water creatures, so submerging them in fresh water will essentially poison them and lead to their death.
If possible, check on your oysters at least once a day while they’re in the fridge. If the towel dries out, dampen it again. If the ice in your container melts, pour it out and replace it with new ice.
If your oysters came with an expiration date, use that as your guide for maximum storage time. Freeze your oysters if you need to store them for more than 2 days.
Before eating an oyster, inspect it to make sure it is still good. If the shell appears to be damaged, if the oyster smells foul, or if the meat is a cloudy shade of grey, brown, black, or pink, throw the oyster away.
If you don’t have enough room in your freezer to keep full-shelled oysters, you can shuck them before storage. If you do so, save the internal liquor for later use.
To prevent freezer burns, leave no more than 0. 5 in (1. 3 cm) of head space in the container.
If you don’t have enough liquor to fill the container, pour in water as well.
If you’re using a solid plastic container, make sure the lid you seal it with is air-tight. Make sure to write the initial storage date on your container.
While your oysters may remain safe to eat during this time, the taste will degrade gradually.
Thawing your oysters using this method gives them a slightly longer shelf life, meaning you don’t have to use them immediately after they thaw. If you’d like, you can thaw your oysters by submerging their container in cold water. However, you’ll have to consume them immediately after they thaw, otherwise they’ll go bad.
